Low profile cone valve assembly

ABSTRACT

In accordance with the present invention, a container outlet valve assembly (10) is provided including a generally cone-shaped housing (12) extending upwardly into the container, and including radially spaced openings (14) in the housing for lading to flow out of the container. A cone valve (30) is located within the housing containing spaced openings (34) which align with the openings (14) in the cone housing when the cone valve is in open position. A liner (36) of low friction material is attached to the outer surface of the cone valve and/or the inner surface of the cone housing. The cone valve is rotatable to a closed position in which the valve body closes the openings located in the housing (FIG. 3). An unloading chamber (44) is located below the cone valve and is attached to a tank mounting flange (18) with shearable fasteners (24). The flange does not extend below the tank bottom in excess of one (1) inch. Thus, a skid is not required to comply with AAR Regulations concerning projection below the tank body. In one embodiment (FIG. 1) an operating shaft (64) for the cone valve extends up through the unloading spout and engages a connection portion (84) formed in the upper, inner surface of the cone valve. In another embodiment (FIG. 2) an operating shaft (90) for the cone valve extends down from the top of the tank and extends through the valve housing and engages a connection portion in the upper portion of the cone valve. With the exception of the relatively small shaft cross section (64) in the bottom operated embodiment, the flow path from the cone valve into the unloading spout is unobstructed, thereby facilitating lading flow out of the cone valve and avoiding surfaces for lading to hang up.

This is a division, of application Ser. No. 134,231, filed Mar. 26,1980, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,318,531, issued Mar. 9, 1982.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,881 granted Feb. 12, 1980, assigned to the sameassignee as the present application, a container outlet is disclosedincluding a generally coneshaped housing extending upwardly into thecontainer, and including radially spaced outer openings in the cone forlading to flow out of the container. A cone valve is located within thehousing containing spaced openings which align with the outer openingsin the cone housing when the cone valve is in open position. A liner oflow friction material is attached to the outer surface of the cone valveand/or the inner surface of the cone housing. The cone valve is rigidlyattached to a vertically extending shaft which is journaled for rotationin a bearing in the cone housing. A hub extends radially outwardly fromthe lower portion of the shaft to the cone valve. The cone valve isrotatable to a closed position in which the valve body closes theopenings located in the cone valve housing.

However, the hub disclosed in this application extends into the flowpath of lading flowing out of the outlet. Thus the hub tends to reducethe rate of unloading achievable with a given size outlet. Also, thishub provides an area where lading can hang up.

Furthermore, in the embodiment where an unloading spout is used tounload the lading, the mounting arrangement for the unloading spout andthe cone valve assembly includes a skid which adds weight and expense tothe outlet.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved cone valveassembly having improved flow characteristics.

Another object is to provide an improved cone valve assembly which doesnot require a skid in order to comply with AAR and DOT Regulationsconcerning projections extending below the bottom of railway tank cars.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved conevalve assembly having fewer parts than the assembly disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 4,187,881.

In accordance with the present invention, a container outlet valveassembly is provided including a generally cone-shaped housing extendingupwardly into the container, and including radially spaced openings inthe housing for lading to flow out of the container. A cone valve islocated within the housing containing spaced openings which align withthe openings in the housing when the cone valve is in open position. Aliner of low friction material is attached to the outer surface of thecone valve and/or the inner surface of the cone housing. The cone valveis rotatable on a bearing in the cone housing. The cone valve isrotatable to a closed position in which the valve body closes theopenings located in the cone valve housing. A rotation of about 90degrees will move the cone valve between open and closed positions.

An unloading chamber is located below the cone valve and is attached toa tank mounting flange with shearable fasteners. The flange does notextend below the tank bottom in excess of one (1) inch. Thus a skid isnot required in order to comply with AAR and DOT regulations concerningprojections below the tank bottom.

In one embodiment an operating shaft for the cone valve extends upthrough the unloading chamber and engages a connection portion formed inthe cone valve.

In another embodiment an operating shaft for the cone valve extends downfrom the top of the tank and extends through the valve housing andengages a connection portion in the upper portion of the cone valve.

With the exception of the relatively small shaft cross section in thebottom operated embodiment, the flow path from the cone valve into theunloading spout is unobstructed, thereby facilitating lading flow out ofthe cone valve and avoiding surfaces for lading to hang up.

Means are provided preventing more than a 90 degrees movement betweenopen and closed positions.

THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a vertical section view of one embodiment of the cone valveassembly of the present invention involving bottom operation;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of another embodiment of the presentinvention illustration top operation;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows alongthe line 3--3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a modification of the bottom operation arrangement illustratedin FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a view looking in the direction of the arrows along the line5--5, FIG. 4.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS p In the drawings a cone valveassembly 10 includes a housing 12 having a plurality ofcircumferentially spaced openings 14. Housing 12 is attached to or isintegral with a top portion 16. A flange portion 23 of housing 12extends into an opening 20 in a tank flange 18. Flange 18 is locatedwithin an opening 22a in tank bottom 22. Flange portion 23 of housing 12is held in place within flange 18 by means of countersunk fasteners 24.Bottom flange 18 is tapered at 18a to the extent its thickness exceedsone (1) inch. To the extent necessary to carry the weight of the lading,additional material in the form of knobs 26 may be provided at locationsabove fasteners 24.

A cone valve 30 includes a body portion 32 located within housing 12.Body portion 32 includes a plurality of circumferentially spacedopenings 34 which in open position align with openings 14 in the valvehousing and which in closed position are circumferentially spaced fromopenings 14 so that the body portion of the cone valve closes openings14. Openings 34 are in fluid connection with a hollow center portion 35and a bottom opening 35a. A layer of low friction material 36 is locatedupon cone valve 32 to make a positive seal with housing 12 and tofacilitate rotation of the cone valve between open and closed positions.A seal 21 is located between housing flange portion 23 and tank bottomflange 18.

Reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,881 for a description ofthe operation of cone valve 30 and housing 12. A cone valve bearing andretainer 38 is located within flange 23 of housing 12 and is providedwith threads 40 or other attachment means to hold bearing and retainer38 in place. A layer of low-friction material 42 is located betweenbearing and retainer 38 and cone valve 30, and acts as a spring tomaintain a constant pressure urging valve 30 into housing 12.

An unloading chamber 44 includes a flange portion 46 which is attachedto flange portion 23 with shearable fasteners 48 located at a positioncircumferentially spaced from fasteners 24. Unloading chamber 44includes a body portion 50 which is hollow and which communicates withcone valve bottom opening 35a and with a discharge spout 52 having anopening 54 which is closed by a cap 56. Threads 58 hold the cap in placeon discharge spout 52. A chain 59 attached to cap 56 and to body portion50 ensures the cap 56 will not be lost when it is removed for unloadingof the lading.

An operator assembly 60 includes a shaft 62 having a bearing and sealportion 64, a depending portion 66 and a threaded connection portion 63.The threaded portion is used to attach an operating wrench or handle.The shaft extends through the unloading spout 44, through an O ring seal68, a packing 70 and guide 72. A threaded packing gland nut 74 holdsthis assembly in place within the unloading spout. A thrust washer 76 isengaged by a shoulder 78 on shaft 64.

Shaft 62 further includes a shear groove 79. Shaft 62 passes upwardlyinto cone valve 30 and includes a connection portion 82 of non-roundconfiguration which engages a non-round projection 84 from cone valve30. It will be apparent that rotation of operator shaft 62 by connectionportion 63 will in turn rotate non-round projection 84 and cone valve 30between open and closed positions.

It will be apparent that the flow path of the lading from cone valve 30through bottom opening 35a into discharge spout 44 is relativelyunobstructed except for the cross section of shaft 62. This is to becontrasted with the construction shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,187,881wherein the hub attached to the operating shaft obstructs a significantamount of the opening from the cone valve into the discharge spout.

Furthermore, the use of the flange 18 located within the tank bottom 22and tapered to the extent its thickness exceeds one (1) inch, and theshearable fasteners 48 which attach the outlet chamber 44 to the flange23 do not require a skid to comply with AAR and DOT regulationsconcerning projections extending more than one (1) inch below the tankbottom. Thus a savings in weight and cost of the skid is achieved withthe construction of the present invention.

In another embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2, anoperating shaft 90 with non-round socket portion 92 at its lower endextends downwardly from the top of the tank. This shaft engagesnon-round portion 94 and pin 95 of operating shaft 96. The shaftincludes a lower portion 98 which extends through a packing gland 100located above housing top portion 16. In this embodiment, housing top 16includes an extension 102 to house the packing gland. A threaded cap 104having an opening 106 holds the packing 100 and packing sleeve 108 inplace. Shaft portion 98 extends through an opening 110 in housing top 16and includes a non-round portion 111 which engages a non-round opening112 in cone valve 30.

The construction is otherwise the same as in FIG. 1 with the exceptionthat operating assembly 60 including shaft 62 and the packing glandassembly in unloading spout 44 is eliminated.

Stop means indicated generally at 120 in FIGS. 2 and 3 are provided tocontrol rotation of the cone valve relative to the valve housing betweenopen and closed positions. This stop means comprises a stop washer 122drivably connected to shaft portion 111 by means of non-round opening124. A pin 126 is located in an opening 128 in housing top portion 16. Aslot 130 is located in the external surface of the stop washer 122. Thestop washer includes stop walls 132 and 134. When the cone valve 30 isin the closed position as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the stop pin 126abuts the surface 132 of the stop washer. When the shaft 90 is used torotate the cone valve into the open position where in openings 34 of thecone valve align with housing opening 14, the stop washer is rotateduntil the surface 134 engages the stop pin 126. Thus the operator willknow how far to rotate a shaft 90 in order to move the cone valve intothe open position.

Another embodiment of the invention for bottom operation is illustratedin FIGS. 4 and 5. In this embodiment a operating assembly 140 includesan operating shaft 142 constructed in the same manner as shaft 62 andFIG. 1 and extending through an unloading chamber 44 and packing planassembly 70 as illustrated in FIG. 1. This operating handle 142 includesa non-round connection portion 144 which engages a non-round opening 146in cone valve 30. Non-round shaft portion 144 is drivably connected to astop washer 148 having a non-round opening 150. Stop washer 148 includesa slot 152 and a pair of stop walls 154 and 156 similar to walls 132 and134 in FIG. 3. A stop pin 158 is mounted in a slot 160 in housing topportion 16.

The operation is the same as in FIGS. 2 and 3. When handle 142 isrotated, non-round portion 144 moves cone valve 30 between open andclosed positions and moves stop washer 148 from a position in which wall154 of stop washer engages pin 126 to the open position wherein wall 154engages pin 126. Rotation of shaft 142 in the opposite direction causesthe cone valve to return to the closed position and stop washer toreturn to the position shown in FIG. 5 wherein stop washer wall 154again engages stop pin 150.

What is claimed is:
 1. In a container outlet valve assembly comprising: a generally cone shaped housing extending upwardly into the container; the apex of said housing extending upwardly into the container; radially spaced outer openings in the housing for lading to flow out of the container; a cone valve located within the housing containing a valve body and spaced cone valve openings in said valve body which align with the outer openings in the cone housing when the cone valve is in open position; said container including a tank bottom flange having an annular groove, and said housing including a housing flange located within said annular groove; said cone valve being rotatable upon a bearing integrally connected to said housing flange and located adjacent said annular groove, and extending only a short distance radially inwardly; a liner of low friction material attached to one of the outer surfaces of the cone valve and/or the inner surface of the cone housing and sealing said cone valve with respect to said cone valve housing; said cone valve being rotatable from said open position to a closed position in which said valve body closes the openings located in the cone valve housing; said cone valve having a hollow center portion in communication with said cone valve openings and having a bottom opening; an unloading chamber located below the cone valve and said bottom opening and attached to a tank mounting flange with shearable fasteners which define a shear plane; said mounting flange, said housing flange, and said bearing all being located above said shear plane; said chamber being in fluid communication with said bottom opening; a top operating shaft for said cone valve engaging a connection portion formed in said cone valve adjacent said housing apex and extending upwardly to the tank top; whereby the flow path from the cone valve into the unloading chamber is unobstructed.
 2. An improved container outlet valve assembly according to claim 1 wherein said housing includes an extension at the top which houses a packing gland for said top operating shaft and said housing includes an opening through which said top operating shaft passes to engage said connection portion.
 3. An improved container outlet valve assembly according to claim 1 wherein said tank flange is thicker than one (1) inch and is tapered in the portion exceeding one (1) inch.
 4. An improved container outlet valve assembly according to claim 1 wherein stop means are provided which engage when said cone valve is in the full open position and in the fully closed position.
 5. An improved container outlet valve assembly according to claim 4 wherein said stop means includes a pin depending from said housing and a stop washer drivably connected to a shaft and having a slot and opposite washer walls at either end of said slot which said pin engages respectively in said open and closed positions. 